Trump on 'rigged' elections: 'Ask Obama'

David Jackson, USA TODAY , KING6:15 PM. EST October 25, 2016

SANFORD, FL - OCTOBER 25: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Million Air Orlando, which is at Orlando Sanford International Airport on October 25, 2016 in Sanford, Florida. (Photo: Joe Raedle, Custom)

Donald Trump ended his Florida tour Tuesday with digs at President Obama about the prospect of a "rigged" election.

"Ask Obama — tell him to look at his tape when he was running eight years ago," Trump told reporters during a stop at his Doral resort in Miami.

Trump appeared to be referring to a report from The Daily Caller, which cited Obama's response to an Ohio supporter in 2008 who asked to be reassured "that this election will not be rigged or stolen."

“Well," Obama replied, in Ohio "we got Democrats in charge of the machines.” Obama also said during that 2008 exchange: "But look, I come from Chicago, so I want to be honest, it’s not as if it’s just Republicans who have monkeyed around with elections in the past. Sometimes, Democrats have, too.”

During a White House news conference last week, Obama mocked Trump's suggestions that the election could be "rigged" against him, noting that national elections are de-centralized and members of both parties oversee the process.

"There’s no evidence that that has happened in the past, or that there are instances in which that will happen this time," Obama said. "And so I’d advise Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes."

Trump cited the 2008 tape during a Tuesday rally in Sanford, Fla., saying he saw it on Fox News and telling supporters that "the campaigning president" is "such a phony guy — what a phony."

The Republican nominee told his followers that "we're fighting a crooked Establishment," including a media that he described as a "bunch of phony lowlifes." Trump said they are conspiring with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to deny him an election victory on Nov. 8.

With rallies in Sanford and Tallahassee, Trump wrapped up three days of campaigning in Florida, an essential state for any Republican presidential candidate.

While Trump has acknowledged being behind Clinton in some polls, he expressed confidence about Florida, as well as battleground states like Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

"We're going to have a big victory," Trump said. "A lot of people are going to be surprised."